Dumping-door-operating mechanism.



J. 0. NEIKIRK.

DUM PING noon OPERATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAB-.12, 1908. RENEWED JUNE 26, 1909.

1,010,167. Patented K012251911,

Witnesses J fn'v eyzior Elma/kw v W v 1 2: JZtiorneys unis STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN NEIKIRK, 0F MORGAN PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL DUMP CAR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

DUMPING-DOOR-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 28, 1911.

Application filed March '12, 1908, Serial No. 420,736. Renewed June 26, 1909. Serial No. 504,603;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN O. NEIKIRK, citizen of the United States, residing at Morgan Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dumping- Door-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved mechanism for controlling and operating the dumping doors of dump cars.

A particular object of my invention isto provide mechanism to be used in connection with a reciprocating or creeping shaft by which to hold the shaft in any intermediate position and especially to hold it locked when it is in a position corresponding to a closure of the dumping doors.

These objects and various others will be made apparent in the following specification and claims taken in connection wit-h the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a topplan view of my improvement as it would appear if the car floor were removed. Fig. 2 is an end elevation partly in section;

The particular embodiment of my invention, which I have illustrated in the drawings, is adapted to be used with a gondola car having a flat bottom comprising clumping floor sections. The car body is represented by the reference number 13. An opening 14 is cut through the end sill 15, through which access may be had for the purpose of operating the doors, as will appear from the subsequent description.

One of the dumping floor sections is shown by full lines in closed position as indicated by the reference numeral 16, and is also shown by dotted lines in its open position as indicated by the same character. It is hinged longitudinally near the center of the car at 16 On its under side an inclined track 17 is attached, formed 01 a strap or sheet of iron. At its outer eX- tremity thistrack has the short portion 18 parallel with the surface of the door 16. Rigidly supported underneath the car is the transverse inclined track 19 having a level portion 20 at the outer end thereof.

' A longitudinal shaft 21 rests upon this and similar tracks parallel therewith at different points along the length of the car. A chain 22 is attached by one end to the longitudinal shaft 21 and after being wrapped more or less about the said shaft its other end is attached at the point 23 near the outer end of the inclined track 19. A lever 24 is mounted on the end of the shaft 21 so as the shaft 21.

A creeper consisting of a plate 27 of sheet metal, having the general shape of a quad rilateral, is provided. This creeper has a rotatable engagement at one end thereof withthe shaft 21, as shown. Near its oppo- 27is bent aside to forma flange 34. This acts as a back stop for the pawl 32. As will more clearly appear from the following description of my invention, this pawl 32 serves to lock the creeper 27 and through it to lock the dumping floor sections 16 in closed position.

Assuming that the door is closed, the various moving parts will have the positions indicated in full lines in Fig. 2. The pawl 32 will be dropped behind the stud 33 on the creeper 27 so as to prevent the latter from moving toward the center of the car. This will prevent the longitudinal shaft 21 from moving off the level track 20. Immediately above the shaft 21 at this time is the level portion 18 of the track 17, which is afiixed to the under side of the door 16. Thus it will be seen that the door through its attached track 18 is supported by the shaft 21,which in turn is supported by the level portion 20 of'the fixed track 19. When it is desired to open the dumping door 16 the pawl 32 is thrown up and over to the right against the flange 34:. Also the dog 30 is thrown over from the position shown in Fig.

2 to a reverse position. Then by means of the lever arm 24 the shaft 21 is rotated 5 counter-clockwise as Viewed in Fig. 2. This movement unwinds the chain 22 from the shaft 21 and permits the shaft by rolling in contact with the track 18 and sliding on the track 20 to move toward the center of the car until it passes out from between said opposed racks 18 and 20. Thereafter the weight of the door 16 and whatever load may be above it will cause the door to open, the track 17 pushing the shaft 21 down the track 19 and finally the moving parts will assume the positions indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. During this movement the slot 28 in the creeper 27 will slide on the fixed pin 29. At some intermediate stage of this movement, the flange 34 will have raised the pawl 32 to a point where it will fall down and strike the stud 33, but without locking against it. Such locking is prevented by placing the pin 29 so that it is nearer to all points of the track 19 than to the part 20 thereof.

.Whenever it is desired to close the doors 16 from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the pawl 25 and the dog 30 are thrown into the positions indicated. At this time the pawl 32 rests on the stud 33 but without looking against it, in readiness to drop down behind it when the closure of the door is completed. Then a clockwise movement of the lever 24: winds the shaft 21 into the chain 22, thus advancing the said shaft upon the inclined track 19. While the lever 24 is being returned to take a fresh stroke, its pawl 25 moving idly over the ratchet wheel 26 at this time, the shaft 21 is held against backward rotation by the dog 30 on the creeper 27 and the creeper in turn is held against rotation by its slot 28 in engagement with the fixed pin 29. Finally when the shaft 21 has completely closed the door and lies on the level part 20 of the inclined track 19, the creeper 27 will have been drawn so far away from the center of the car that the pawl 32 will drop down behind its stud 33, thus securely looking the door in closed position and also apprising the operator that the closure of the door is complete.

It will be observed that I have provided means for shifting the longitudinal shaft 21 by direct rotation thereof and that I have provided means adapted to hold the shaft against backward rotation at any stage. This last named means is the dog 30 which is mounted upon the creeper 27. The latter has a rotatable engagement with the shaft 21, but is prevented from rotation by also engaging a fixed part ofthe car. Moreover, I have provided additional means by which the door may be locked in closed position.

This consists of means to confine the shaft 21 to a position between the short opposed tracks 18 and 20. Further, this additional locking means performs its function in an obvious manner and thus guards against uncertainty as to whether the door is completely closed, and the shaft is in its uppermost position.

I claim:

1. In a dump car, a reciprocatory door supporting shaft, a pawl adapted to lock the shaft in a position corresponding to a complete closure of the door, and means to automatically throw said pawl into a position of readiness to lock the door.

2. In a dump car, a door supporting shaft adapted to be reciprocated by rotation thereof, a plate loosely engaging the shaft at one end, a pin and slot connection between the opposite end of the plate and the car framework, a pawl pivoted on the pin, and a stud on the member having the slot, said pawl being adapted to engage the stud when the door is closed and lock it in closed position.

3. In a dump car, a door supporting shaft adapted to be reciprocated by rotation thereof, a plate loosely engaging the shaft at one end, a slot in the opposite end of the plate, a pin in the car framework engaged by said slot, a pawl pivoted on said pin, a stud on the plate adapted to be engaged by the pawl when the door is closed, and a projection on the end of the plate adapted when the door is open to throw the pawl over in a position in readiness to lock with the stud when the door is again closed.

4. In a dump car, a reciprocatory door supporting shaft, a creeper, means to engage the creeper and thus lock it when the door is fully closed, and means for automatically throwing the aforesaid means into readiness to lock the creeper.

5. In a dump car, a reciprocatory door supporting shaft, a creeper pawl to engage the creeper and thus lock it when the door is fully closed, and means for automatically throwing the aforesaid pawl into readiness to lock the creeper.

6. In a dump car, a dumpdoor, operating mechanism therefor, a movable member, said operating mechanism and movable member being so related that said member moves to one position, thereby directly lock- .ing said operating mechanism when said operating mechanism arrives at a position completely closing said door, and occupies another position at all other times.

7. In a car of the class described, a dump door, a door supporting and operating shaft adapted to be reciprocated by rotation thereof, means for rotating said shaft, means for holding said shaft against reverse rotation when being rotated, means for directly locking said shaft against bodily movement When the same arrives at In testimony whereof, I have subscribed position to completely close the door, and my name. means whereby the movement of said operating shaft acts to throw said locking JOHN NEIKIRK' means into a position to efiect its locking Witnesses:

function upon the arrival of the door at EDYTHE M. ANDERSON,

closed position. FLORENCE A. FLoRELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

